To call Australia from the US, dial 011, then 61 (Australia's country code), then the Australian number without its leading 0. A mobile written 0491 570 156 becomes 011 61 491 570 156, or +61 491 570 156 from a cell phone.
Dialing Australia from the US is simple once you know to drop the 0. Timing it is the harder part. Australia has three main time zones, only some states use daylight saving time, and Australia's clocks change in April and October, the opposite season from ours. This guide gives you the codes, the number formats, a time table that accounts for all of that, a worked example and what to know about cost and texting.
The short version
| What you dial | For Australia | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US exit code | 011 | Or + on a cell phone |
| Country code | 61 | All of Australia |
| Trunk prefix | 0 (drop it) | Australian numbers are written with a leading 0 for calls inside Australia |
| Number after the 0 | 9 digits | For example 2 5550 1234 or 491 570 156 |
| Full pattern | 011 61 + number without the 0 | +61 on a cell phone |
The area and mobile codes you'll see:
| Code | Value | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| US exit code | 011 | Starts an international call from the US |
| Australia country code | 61 | Routes the call to Australia |
| Australian trunk prefix | 0 | Used inside Australia only; drop it from abroad |
| Area code 2 (02) | NSW and the ACT | Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle |
| Area code 3 (03) | Victoria and Tasmania | Melbourne, Hobart |
| Area code 7 (07) | Queensland | Brisbane, Gold Coast |
| Area code 8 (08) | WA, SA and the NT | Perth, Adelaide, Darwin |
| Mobile prefix | 4 (written 04) | All Australian mobile numbers start with 04 |
Step by step from a US phone
- Get the full number with its area code. Australians often leave the area code off local numbers, so a Sydney shop might just write xxxx xxxx. You need the 02 in front.
- Remove the first 0. 02 becomes 2; 0412 becomes 412.
- Dial 011, or + on a cell phone.
- Dial 61.
- Dial the remaining 9 digits. Every standard Australian landline and mobile is 9 digits after the country code.
A handy check: an Australian number written correctly for international use is always +61 followed by 9 digits. If you count 10, you probably kept the 0.
Australian number formats
| Type | Written in Australia | Dialed from the US |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile | 04xx xxx xxx | 011 61 4xx xxx xxx |
| NSW / ACT landline | (02) xxxx xxxx | 011 61 2 xxxx xxxx |
| VIC / TAS landline | (03) xxxx xxxx | 011 61 3 xxxx xxxx |
| QLD landline | (07) xxxx xxxx | 011 61 7 xxxx xxxx |
| WA / SA / NT landline | (08) xxxx xxxx | 011 61 8 xxxx xxxx |
| Freecall | 1800 xxx xxx | Usually can't be dialed from abroad |
| Local rate | 1300 xxx xxx or 13 xx xx | Usually can't be dialed from abroad |
Australians write mobiles in a 4-3-3 pattern (0412 345 678) and landlines as (0X) XXXX XXXX. When you see a number starting 04, it's a mobile, wherever the person lives, because mobiles have no area code.
Worked example
Australia's regulator, ACMA, reserves numbers for use in films, books and examples, so these won't reach anyone. We use them here: the mobile 0491 570 156 and the NSW landline (02) 5550 1234 (ACMA: phone numbers for creative works, checked October 18, 2026).
| Written in Australia as | Dial from a US landline | Dial from a US cell phone |
|---|---|---|
| (02) 5550 1234 (NSW landline) | 011 61 2 5550 1234 | +61 2 5550 1234 |
| 0491 570 156 (mobile) | 011 61 491 570 156 | +61 491 570 156 |
Say you're in Denver in January and need to reach a wholesaler in New South Wales before they close at 5 p.m. their time.
- Find the gap: in January, Sydney is on daylight time (UTC+11) and Denver is on standard time (UTC-7), so Sydney is 18 hours ahead.
- Pick the time: 5 p.m. Wednesday in Sydney is 11 p.m. Tuesday in Denver. To catch them at 10 a.m. Wednesday, call at 4 p.m. Tuesday Denver time.
- Landline: drop the 0 from 02 and dial 011 61 2 5550 1234 (or +61 2 5550 1234).
- Mobile: drop the 0 from 0491 and dial 011 61 491 570 156 (or +61 491 570 156).
Time difference from the US
Australia's mainland has three standard time zones: Eastern (UTC+10), Central (UTC+9:30) and Western (UTC+8). New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia use daylight saving time from the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April. Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia don't (IANA time zone database, checked October 18, 2026).
Because the two countries change clocks in opposite seasons, the gap changes four times a year. For Sydney and Melbourne:
| Period (2026–27) | Sydney vs New York | Sydney vs Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2026 – Mar 14, 2027 (US standard, Sydney daylight) | 16 hours ahead | 19 hours ahead |
| Mar 14 – Apr 4, 2027 (both on daylight time) | 15 hours ahead | 18 hours ahead |
| Apr 4 – Oct 3, 2027 (US daylight, Sydney standard) | 14 hours ahead | 17 hours ahead |
| Oct 3 – Nov 7, 2027 (both on daylight time) | 15 hours ahead | 18 hours ahead |
US clocks spring forward on the second Sunday of March and fall back on the first Sunday of November (15 U.S.C. § 260a). Most of Arizona and all of Hawaii stay on standard time all year, so for those states use the standard-time column year round.
A rule of thumb: Australia's business morning is the US afternoon or evening of the day before. 9 a.m. Tuesday in Sydney is 5 p.m. Monday in New York in December and 7 p.m. Monday in July.
What it costs
- Carrier rates: Check your US carrier's international rate page for Australia. Rates often differ between landlines and mobiles, and international add-ons can lower them.
- Calling apps: Google Voice and similar services publish per-minute rates by country. Look at both the Australia landline and mobile rows.
- App-to-app calls: WhatsApp, FaceTime and Messenger calls between two people using the same app cost only data.
- 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers: These are Australia-only. Ask the business for a direct landline or a mobile.
Texting and WhatsApp
Texting an Australian mobile from a US phone works: send to +61 4xx xxx xxx. Whether your plan charges extra for international texts varies, so check. iMessage works between iPhones over data, and WhatsApp and Messenger are common in Australia too.
If you're replying to a text from Australia, make sure your reply goes to the +61 version of the number. A number saved as 04xx xxx xxx without the +61 will be read as a US number by your phone and fail.
Common mistakes
- Keeping the 0: 011 61 04… fails. It's 011 61 4….
- Leaving off the area code: Australians often write local landlines as 8 digits. Add the state code (02, 03, 07 or 08) without its 0.
- Assuming one time zone: Sydney, Brisbane and Perth can be up to three hours apart, and Brisbane and Perth don't change their clocks.
- Using last month's time gap: The gap with the US changes four times a year because the two countries change clocks in opposite seasons.
- Dialing 13, 1300 or 1800 numbers: These are Australia-only. Ask for a direct landline or mobile.
Sources
Country code and number ranges: the ITU entry for Australia (+61) in the ITU national numbering plans, updated by ACMA in March 2026, and the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 2025. Fictional numbers: ACMA, Phone numbers for use in TV shows, films and creative works. Exit code: FCC international calling tip sheet (011 is the US exit code). Clocks: IANA time zone database and 15 U.S.C. § 260a (US daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November). Checked October 18, 2026.
Where Chargezen fits
To be clear up front: Chargezen isn't an international calling service. It doesn't sell calling plans or numbers in Australia; its numbers are US (+1) numbers only. For calls to Australia, use your carrier, a calling app or WhatsApp as described above.
Where it helps is the other direction, when customers in Australia reach your US business. From Australia, customers dial 0011 1 and your 10-digit US number (or +1 on a mobile). Because Sydney is 14 to 16 hours ahead of the East Coast, their working day is your night. Concierge answers calls on your US number day and night, from the business details you give it. When a caller needs a person, Concierge alerts your team in the Finn app and the browser, and a teammate can join the live call. Calls, texts and notes for each customer stay in one thread in the team inbox.
See the phone channel and the AI receptionist, get a local or toll-free US number, or bring the number you already have. Concierge can also answer on WhatsApp when you connect a WhatsApp Business number.
Related terms: VoIP, toll-free number and number porting. Related guides: how to call Japan from the US and how to call Ireland from the US. See also how to call the US from Australia and how to call the Philippines from the US.
Frequently asked questions
What is the country code for Australia?
61. Dial 011 61 from a US phone, or +61 from a cell.
Do I drop the 0 in an Australian number?
Yes. 0412 345 678 becomes +61 412 345 678, and (02) 5550 1234 becomes +61 2 5550 1234.
Why is the time difference different in different months?
Because the US and southeastern Australia both use daylight saving time, but in opposite seasons. Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia don't change their clocks at all.
Can I call an Australian 1800 number from the US?
Usually not. Freecall and local-rate numbers work only inside Australia. Look for a direct number on the business's website.
Can Chargezen call or text Australia?
Chargezen isn't an international calling service and offers US (+1) numbers only, and its texting is set up for US numbers. Use your carrier or a calling app for Australia. Chargezen answers the calls Australian customers make to your US number.
